DE News Desk :
Bangladesh has advanced 16 positions in the World Press Freedom Index (WPFI) 2025, now ranking 149th out of 180 countries, according to interim Information and Broadcasting Adviser Md Mahfuj Alam.
In a statement issued Friday, Mahfuj Alam credited the progress to the current government’s hands-off approach to media, stating that “the absence of government interference” has helped improve press freedom in the country.
The WPFI rankings were published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) to mark World Press Freedom Day.
“All media outlets, including state-run Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television, are now free from government control,” he said, emphasizing that the administration is no longer making interventionist calls to news organizations.
The adviser noted that several reforms are being planned based on the recommendations of the Media Reform Commission, aiming to further strengthen media freedom and safeguard the rights of journalists.
Bangladesh was ranked 165th in the previous year’s index.
Mahfuj Alam expressed optimism that the country would continue to move up in the global rankings in the coming years.
India, in comparison, ranked 151st in the 2025 index.
Despite the recent improvement, Bangladesh’s ranking has dropped significantly over the past decade and a half — from 121st in 2009 to 165th before the current jump.